** New PC build - Your advice please! **

Gigglinpin

Gigglinpin

Gigglinpin

Associate
Joined
16 May 2006
Posts
4
Location
Manchester, UK
Hi all,

The last time I built a PC was a good 4 or 5 years ago, I guess. I am looking to rebuild my current PC over the next week or so with a new:

  • CPU & Fan
  • Motherboard
  • RAM
  • Graphics Card
I have recently purchased a new PSU (Thermaltake PurePower 560W) and the HDD I have is fine (not ‘SATA’, if that makes any difference?!).

I do not use my PC for gaming, so the graphics card doesn’t need to be anything majorly fancy in that respect. I use it mainly for amateur web design, DVD creation, photo manipulation in Photoshop, DVD copying and using MS Office software. Quite often, I will be running several apps at one time. I am not really interested in overclocking, either, mainly because I don’t know why I’d need to do it, and even if I did, wouldn’t know where to start!!!

A major consideration is that I need the PC to be as quiet as possible, since it is used in the bedroom and I like to leave it on overnight to download.

I have a budget of around £400, and would like to buy something which is as future-proof as currently possible! I have been looking at both the single and dual core processors from Intel and AMD, and have been looking at these two bundles from OC:

  • Intel P4 LGA775 930 Dual Core 3.0GHz Retail / Abit AW8 / 2GB Corsair PC5400 DDR2 Dual Channel Kit - Bundle (BU-038-OK)
  • Price: £299.85 (£352.32 Including VAT at 17.5%)

  • AMD Athlon X2 3800 Retail / Asus A8N-SLi SE / 1GB Geil PC3200 Dual Channel Kit - Bundle (BU-030-OK)
  • Price: £274.85 (£322.95 Including VAT at 17.5%)

I have no idea what is compatible with what, so am not sure where to start with all this really. I am completely out of touch with all this, so please make your replies newbie-friendly! :)

Your suggestions would be much appreciated!

Many thanks :D


Gigglinpin

P.S. I am in the process of reading through the ‘Ultimate Guide - What to buy, and how to build!’ thread, but am just after some of your opinions on what YOU think I’m best buying.
 
SiriusB - thanks very much for your advice. I currently have an AMD and have been very happy with it. It was just that the Intel chip appears to outperform it (from the chip comparison tables on the 'Tom's Hardware' site). Regarding the graphics card, which type would I need to get though - AGP or PCI? Or does that depend on which mobo I choose? And which of the main makes is the best? :confused:

Earlyflash - thanks for that info. I could wait a month, I guess, but is it REALLY worth it?? Bearing in mind that technology changes every month or two anyway, won't I be advised in July to hang on for another couple of months for some new technology on the horizon?

semi-pro waster - yes, I agree that 2GB RAM would be a good idea. Thanks a lot for working out that package for me :) With regards to on-board graphics capabilities, will it be able to handle the work I'll be doing on Photoshop or will an additional card be necessary? Do most new mobo's have suitable on-board graphics to deal with what I need?


I guess the main question on my mind at the moment is: should I buy now or wait a few months till this new Intel technology comes in?

Thank you all for your replies - keep 'em coming! :cool:
 
Thanks all for your replies.

I think I'll go for that setup then... so long as you're sure the onboard graphics on the Asus A8N-VM CSM Micro ATX (Socket 939) PCI Express Motherboard will be able to cope with the Photoshop tasks?
 
Ok, after doing my research and following your wonderful advice, I think I've decided on my final spec:

Asus A8N VM CSM Socket 939
AMD Athlon64 X2 3800 512K Retail Socket 939
Arctic Cooling Freezer 64 PRO
Corsair Twinx 2x1GB matched XMS3200 3200PT Platinum

Total: £405.85 inc VAT

What do you think? The mobo has onboard graphics capabilities, so that should do me for what I need (for now, anyway!) :)

One question I do have is with regards to the memory. I have a choice of two types of Corsair memory, with about £3 difference between them. They are:

3200PT
3200C2PT

Which one should I get?

And will this system run really quiet for the price? :rolleyes:
 
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